Apple sells fewer phones but profits rise

Apple sold 77.3 million iPhones in the final months of 2017, slightly fewer than during the same period in the prior year. Higher prices compensated for the dip, lifting the firm's profits in the quarter to more than $20bn. The record results, which included strong growth in Japan, were the first to provide a glimpse of sales of the firm's expensive iPhone X. Apple boss Tim Cook said iPhone X sales surpassed the firm's expectations. Apple released the 10th anniversary phone, which starts at about $1,000, in November. The number of iPhones sold in the period slipped 1% year-on-year.